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Giant verruca vulgaris.
Dermatol Surg. 2004 Mar;30(3):459-62.
BACKGROUND:
Common warts (verrucae vulgares) are hyperkeratotic papulonodules that
are most often seen on the hands, arms, and legs, but they can be seen
anywhere on the glabrous skin. Common warts represent the most
frequent clinical lesions produced by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
OBJECTIVE: Although they are diagnosed easily, giant, chronic,
isolated, solitary, recalcitrant verruca vulgaris involving nail and
nail bed on the digits can be misdiagnosed, and the differential
diagnosis should be made carefully and verified by biopsies. METHOD: A
50-year-old male patient had a giant periungual verruca vulgaris on
his left second finger. It was present for 2 years, was unresponsive
to any treatment modality, and was treated by surgical excision.
RESULTS: After 18 months of follow-up, there was no evidence of
recurrence, and both aesthetic and functional results were quite
satisfactory. CONCLUSION: Lesions of long duration generally lose
their characteristic histopathologic features, and HPV cannot be
detected in these lesions by polymerase chain reaction. Therefore,
multiple sections should be examined histopathologically, and extreme
care should be taken in order to avoid misdiagnosis. |